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Click for the Cookham News Front Page
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The
Fabulous Shirtlifters' West Country Tour
(24 May 2008)
Photographs
Copyright
Pauline Clark
(click on photos for larger
image)
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2008 was the year that
Cookham's jazz group, the Fabulous Shirtlifters, decided to let the people
of Cornwall know about their talents. They were booked into the Minack
Theatre, Cornwall's outdoor theatre right on the sea edge. It was a misty
day and very little could be seen when the band arrived, however they were
joined by an enthusiastic audience of around three hundred.
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Preparing
for the Evening Show at the Minack Theatre
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The event was a charity do
to mark the 10th anniversary of nearby Porthcurno Telegraph Museum, and
all profits from the evening's entertainment were being given to the
museum's education programme.
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Rehearsal
in Progress
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As well as
music with an initial French theme which appealed to a large contingent of
French students in the audience an explanation of how the Fabulous
Shirtlifters came into being with such an unlikely name. Apparently the
band came into being for one night only. That was 20 years ago, obviously
a long night.
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The
Performance Begins
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The
Fabulous Shirtlifters performed everything
from King Oliver's Royal Garden Blues to Louis Armstrong's Black and Blue,
not to mention such "hot" favourites as Alexander's Ragtime Band
and Frankie and Johnny were Lovers, plus.of course, the inevitable When
the Saints come Marching In, the band was in great form. Led by its
pianist and titular head Charles Benson the seven musicians played their
hearts out until well after darkness fell. John Brook, who no longer
lives in Cookham, did his George Melly impression as the band's vocalist,
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A
Successful Tour
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More photographs of the evening taken by
Pauline Clark Photographer can be seen at http://www.clarkphotography.co.uk/cornwalltour/
The Fabulous Shirtlifters are planning other gigs Click
here to see their website.
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